The Washington critic., 1887-12-31
THE IDAHO HORSE QUEEN.

copyrighted, 1887.
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THE IDAHO HORSE QUEEN.
Romantic Story of the Isnpid Rise of Kittio
wilkins.
Miss Kittie G. wilkins, the horse queen
of Idaho, is at the Palace Hotel, says
the San Francisco Examiner. She
arrived on Monday, accompanied by her
brother, J. Il. wilkins, direct from her
residence on the Bruneau River, in
Owyhee County. Miss wilkins is one
of the most noted women of the West.
a Californian, and educated at San Jose,
she early engaged in the stock business,
and has amassed large fortune. An
Examiner representative sent up his card
to her last evening, and was promptly
asked to come up. Miss wilkins is
somewhat tall, with high forehead,
regular features and rather light hair,
being something of blonde. Her eyes
are dark and her manner very charm
ing. Altogether she imprcsses one as a
very intelligent young lady of about
twenty-three.
81 have been referred to as the cattle
queen" said she, "but this is incorrect.
The wilkins Company of Idaho own
both horses and cattle, and this is how
the mistake originated, but my own
specially is horses. / now own between
700 and 500 of my own. They are Per-
cherons, Morgans, Normans, Hamblc-
tonians and SO on. i have no native
Oregon or Spanish horses at all. Besides
these now have, If you will excuse my
speaking in the first person singular,
have sold u great many hundreds; !
could not begin TO tell how many. Do
like living away in Idaho? Oh, so
much am perfectly fascinated with
it. go out to round up in the spring
and fall and enjoy myself ever so much.
1t is fascinating business and grows
upon you. 1t was really romantic the
way got my start. The way Of it was
this: Over twenty years ago my parents
had removed to Oregon and were return
ing to San Francisco, when our friends
gathered round to give us mementoes of
various sorts When they got to me
they said, We'll, now, she's only little
thing'-I was but two years old then
We'll Just give her some money to be
invested for her. Two of them gave
me n $50 gold piece each Shortly after
returning here my father concluded to
go to Idaho and engage in the stock
business. He went to Oregon and
bought lot of horses. When he
went to pay over the money he be-
thought him of my $40, and seeing a
fine little filly yet left offered the $40 for
her. The owner valued her at $50, but
seeing that my father was taking the
others, he finally concluded to let this
one 90, even if it was for less than she
was worth. From the increase all my
bonds have come. Of course, could
tell you of many ups and downs, for il
was not always smooth-sailing back
there in those early days, as grew up
from childhood, but ! need not enlarge
upon this. At length l came to San
Jose to school, put in three or four
years, and in addition travelled consid.
erably in America, seeing all the large
cities and many of the great natural
curiosities. But when got back to
Idaho ! was so lonesome / didn't know
what to do. used to say to my mother
then the only man ! cared anything
about was the man in the moon. goi
over being so Lonesome, though, in q
little time, and now am already home
sick to get back. AS said, the stock
business is very fascinating, and horse:
are very profitable, much more so thar
cattle. A three or four year old steer
|
horse of the same age is worth SS5 Ol
800 anyhow. Another thing, horses ar,
much more easily raised and do not re
quire half the care. They paw away
the snow and get at the grass much bette
than cattle. Last year the average loss o.
cattle in Idaho was 80 per cent
Some owners lost all they had
Although our home and many of OH
corrals and buildings are on the Bru
neau river, fifty miles southeast of Bois'
City and twenty-five south of Mountain
: House, the station on the Oregon Shor
: Line, our range is 75 miles away
! 1t is what is known as the II range,
and it is there that many cattle ant
!, horse owners gather twice year to sor
out and brand. / go out there ever,
year and look on and see how the stocl
} is coming in. ride great deal, but
don't take part in the roundup. Al
many as forty men are oftentimes OIL
, rounding-up and cutting ont stock ther,
during the season, and things are yer,
lively. l shoot good deal--that is,
am good shot; but I don't often q,
, hunting, although there is lots of fin
. game"
Miss wilkins discussed in an enter
, tanning way, Miss Morgan, the eminen
, lady writer on blooded cattle and horses
whose letters in Eastern journals hav
attracted attention. Miss Wilkins saiC
0 she knew no reason why the judgmen
!, of women should not be as good as tina
I of men If they gave the subject atten
} tion. Miss wilkins leaves tomorrow
for San Jose, in company with he
brother, to visit her uncle, Judge B. T
r Rankin, and family. She will remail
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